Calcutta - Kolkata - A Rickshaw named Desire

Kalkutta - Kolkata - Eine Rikscha namens Sehnsucht

Only from a distance can the dream of »Eternal India« be dreamed in an undisturbed way. In reality, cliches fade fast into fleeting snapshots of the tourism- and film-industries. This is especially true for a metropolis like Calcutta, which in 2001 has been renamed to Kolkata by the government of the Indian state West Bengal. Kolkata is one of fastest growing Mega Cities on the planet. According to nonofficial estimates, about 15 million people now live in Greater Kolkata. For over 140 years, Calcutta had been the capital of the Britsh Crown Colony India. Through architecture and infrastructure the colonial heritage is still reflected, as evidenced by the last tramway on the entire subcontinent. One thing though is for sure: The real ruler of the city always has been and always will be Kali, the Hindu-goddess.